Unions back friendly candidates

Monday, March 11, 2013

Unions back friendly candidates

I must respond to some fallacies in the recent letter by John Shibbish “Dues shouldn’t fund politicians.” I am irritated by articles and letters about a subject matter that is evident, many people have no concept of or do not fully understand. In this case, it is the comments regarding union dues being used for political agendas. Unions are financially structured as any business is. There is the mortgage or rent, utilities, the taxes and wages for a secretary and manager who take care of the day-to-day business of each person the local represents. The local I managed (Asbestos Workers Local 25) contributed one cent per hour to a political action fund. All this opposition over one cent an hour is just amazing. I constantly would get request letters from candidates from both parties seeking financial help because a campaign is a very expensive venture. Other managers and I would meet monthly to review requests and also review voting records with regard to recent House or Senate bills. Why would labor not support any candidate, Democrat or Republican, who is voting and supporting our issues? Big business and individuals like Charles and David Koch, Sheldon Adelson, Dick DeVos and many others like them can channel enormous amounts of capital into campaigns to render labor unions inept.

If Shibbish looked into the issue further, it is the enormous required benefit funding demand placed on the postal workers by Congress that is causing their financial shortfall. DAVID H. BREMERKAMP Macomb Township

Dredging program neededLake levels are threatening Michigan’s economy. The boating industry has a $3.9 billion annual economic impact to Michigan by representing 52,000 direct and indirect jobs. Whether it is commercial freighters facing decreased shipping capacity or a leisurely fishing trip on Lake St. Clair, all Michigan residents are either directly or indirectly impacted by this natural disaster.

Gov. Rick Snyder has proposed state spending of $21 million to dredge public waterways. The big problem is that 80 percent of Michigan’s boats are docked at private marinas. A recent survey of private marina owners indicated an overwhelming need for dredging. However, only a handful can afford this rarely needed capital expense and all are having serious difficulty in attaining loans.

The legislation we have proposed would mirror the program utilized by agricultural producers in providing low-interest loans to owners of marinas for the purpose of dredging. The program will allow eligible marinas to access these loans from private financial institutions, at a 1 percent interest rate. Lenders will then evaluate and take the credit risk and would be compensated partially for their administrative costs. The state augments the process by paying lenders a loan origination fee totaling 5 percent of the original loan amount paid out over five years. Because these loans are going to be privately administered, and private funds loaned, the administration costs on behalf of the state are minimized, and there is no risk to the state with this proposed program.

Marina owners have no control over lake levels. They know the risks and the cost of doing business and they are willing to pay for it, but they need access to longer-term loans. They need to be able to spread the cost out over time and need help in doing that.

An average marina directly provides 38 jobs, $1.0 million in labor income and $1.6 million in value added to the local economy. This legislation will help prevent a loss of those jobs, state tax revenue, and economic activity.